View full sizeElliot Njus/The OregonianDowntown Vancouverâs Block 10, a city-owned lot at Eighth and Washington streets that was once part of the Lucky Lager Brewing Co., soon could be an open green plaza. Eventually, the city wants to lure a company to develop the lot.

The building momentum that brought the downtown district Vancouvercenter and the Vancouver Washington Hilton and Convention Center didn't quite make it to the so-called Block 10.

The block was once part of the Lucky Lager brewery, and the city bought it along with four other blocks for $2 million in 1994. Today, it's the only one left undeveloped.

A plan for a temporary park seems to have fizzled out, but there might be hope for progress yet. In February, Vancouver Mayor Tim Leavitt named development of the site one of his goals for the year.

"(It) has been an eyesore for too many years," Leavitt said in his State of the City speech. "Let's get it developed and contributing to our downtown revitalization."

On Wednesday, Leavitt said he would like the city to start the process of soliciting proposals for "that fallow plot of land" by the end of the year.

That would require more council discussion and staff work, he said. But he'd like to see a mixed-use development that includes retail shops, restaurants and residences.

"There's a lot of promise that block has to continue the process of strengthening our community," he said. "I think there are a lot of opportunities and possibilities, but also I suspect some realities given today's economic climate."

Vancouver's Downtown AssociationThe Vancouver's Downtown Association planned a temporary park to fill the vacant Block 10, but costs are a concern and the plan is on hold.

Temporary use

The lot has drawn the ire of the Vancouver's Downtown Association, which successfully lobbied the city to remove the chain-link fence surrounding the site last year.

The downtown association also planned a temporary park to fill the space until a more permanent use could be identified, even getting as far as to hire design firms to draw up concepts and price out options.

The group planned an open greenspace with meandering, well-lit paths and benches. But between landscaping, features and irrigation, the plan could have cost as much as $400,000 -- a tough sell for a park that would only be around for a few years.

"This is last fall, when we already knew there was no money anywhere for anything," said Lee Coulthard, the chairman of the association's design committee. "We all thought that was going to be a pretty steep hill to climb. It would've been phenomenal."

For now, the plan's on hold. The association might consider other ideas, like extra parking or an open, grassy area without the other features.

"I don't think the city's going to find anybody to buy and develop that property in the short term," Coulthard said. "If it could generate some revenue or if it made downtown a more attractive area to develop, wouldn't that be a good thing?"

Residents' view

Paula Person, the president of the Esther Short Neighborhood Association for the downtown area, said residents have asked on and off for years what the city would do with the empty lot.

"We've never really had any specific answer," she said.

Generally speaking, she said, residents want to see something that would draw more people to the district. A residential building with retail space would be appropriate, she said, or something the entire community could use, like an entertainment or performance venue.

"They need to do something that would be long-lasting, permanent, that people who live here could be excited about," she said. "It's not a typical residential area or a typical downtown. You kind of have to look at all slants of it. If it could appeal to both (businesses and residences), that would be good."

Developer interest

Leavitt said he's had informal discussions with developers who said they might be interested in the space, and two Vancouver developers said Wednesday the block has a lot going for it.

Elie Kassab of Prestige Development said his company would "fairly possibly" consider submitting a proposal for rental housing, office space and retail.

"It's a great location," he said. "In my opinion, this is the best full block available in downtown Vancouver."

Kassab's company is developing three mixed-use projects on East Mill Plain Boulevard in downtown Vancouver, including one that would occupy the site of the downtown Burgerville that's scheduled to close this year.

Kassab also said Block 10 would be a "fantastic opportunity" for a corporate headquarters.

Craig Angelo, a partner in the Al Angelo Co., said it would "definitely take a good look" at submitting a proposal for the site,

"It's been sitting there for many years, he said. "It would be nice to have something on there, even if just ends up being an extension of Esther Short Park."

Angelo said he thought a commercial development would be the most appropriate use for the site. It could include apartments or condos, but he said the developer would need to conduct a market study to see if more residential space is needed in the downtown district.

He said the city also would need to partner with its chosen developer and put together an incentive package.

But most importantly, he said, the building should be bigger than just one or two stories to fully realize the potential of the space.